Two young girls, Caroline and Isabel, grew up loving bath bombs. They were a fun mix of colors and made a regular bath a little more exciting. But, when the bath bomb dissolved, they were left with just some discolored water. Just like that, the bath bomb was gone. The Bercaw sisters wanted to make a bath bomb with lasting fun, even after it was long dissolved. Guided by the belief that everyone loves surprises, they created a line of bath bombs, experimenting with fizz, fragrance, and fun with a gift in the center of the ball like a toy, charm, message, piece of jewelry, and more.
These girls started making their product in their basement at the ages of 11 and 12 in 2012. Their business first started when they sold a few balls at their local fair in Minneapolis. By 2015, their product was in 30 shops in their area, and in 2016, after a business trip to Atlanta for an international trade show, they had stores across the country sell their product. At this point they were still producing in their basement – over 20,000 bath bombs a month!
Soon enough, Target wanted to sell their product in 1,800 stores all over the U.S. This prompted them to move their production to a warehouse near them. Their school allowed them time in school to work on their business, supporting them in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Today, this family business generates over $20 million in revenue per year and remains self-funded!
Da Bomb also seeks to give back to people around the globe, focusing their donations on The Water Project which provides rural communities in Africa clean drinking water. With every purchase of an “Earth Bomb”, contributions are made to this cause. So far, the business has helped to provide “clean drinking water and rainwater containment systems that serve over 10,000 people in 20 communities” (Da Bomb, 2024).
The Bercaw sisters have an inspiring entrepreneurial story. They saw a problem, they innovated, found a solution, and provided value to consumers across the country. And, because of their hard work and generous hearts, thousands of people now have access to clean water where they did not before.
Da Bomb Bath Fizzers: Handmade Bath Bombs With A Surprise Inside! (dabombfizzers.com)
Understanding her customers’ desire to own her ceramic creations, she created Grumpy Kid Studio; a fully functioning pottery business that is distinctively trade-marked by little grumpy faces on each piece. On account of launching this business and growing her outreach beyond social media users, Zhu’s pieces are now displayed in houses across the world and her brand has grown exponentially. Garbo Zhu is especially inspiring to me, as a young creative who deeply loves fashion and art, because she built a space where the two can coexist. Additionally, I am also encouraged to explore the ways I can use my creative drive to connect to a niche group of art and fashion lovers.
Stuart and Lisa Harrison are a husband and wife entrepreneur team who handcraft unique jewelry from their cabin in the mountains of Colorado. They also happen to be great family friends that grew up in my small town of Berryville Virginia. Originally starting in Virginia, Lisa used jewelry making as a way to fundraise for a missions trip. Though she was always passionate about art Lisa never thought it could be a viable career option. However, after her fundraiser, she started to change her mind. While attending business school she grew the business and eventually married with Stuart Harrison who became her business partner. Stuart had experience with woodworking and building which transferred nicely into the business. The two have worked together for many years now and have seem their business grow through many seasons.